Annual Festivals

Get away to the big screen and discover unforgettable films. From the Siouxland to Snake Alley, Iowa film festivals stay with you long after the credits have rolled. See careers launched and engage in discussions with filmmakers. Weekends in Iowa just got more entertaining. View the statewide listing below and start planning your getaway.
 

Alternating Currents

The Alternating Currents is an annual festival in downtown Davenport where over a dozen venues host a wide variety of original live music, film screenings, comedians, and visual artists. Check out over 50 acts, screenings, and art events; patrons are encouraged to travel from venue to venue and explore all downtown has to offer. The festival is located in the heart of Downtown Davenport where you’ll find dozens of restaurants, shops, bars and more beyond their official venues. 100+ performances/events, 16 venues, 1 amazing downtown.

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Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival

The Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival showcases movies that have a Midwestern influence. It offers filmmakers a chance to screen their work and have it critiqued. Films are accepted from any location, but must meet the criteria of having an Iowa connection. This qualification requires that an entry has an association with Iowa such as a key crew member or actor who was born or educated or lived and worked in Iowa; a story set in Iowa or about an Iowa topic; or part or all of the film produced in Iowa. All skill levels and genres are accepted.

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Conrad Nagel Film Festival

The Conrad Nagel Film Festival is a two day celebration of Keokuk, Iowa’s own film star, Conrad Nagel. Beginning his career as a silent film actor, he continued to work in the film business through the 1950s. The Conrad Nagel Film Festival celebrates his life and career, as well as the long legacy he left behind. This event is a fun and immersive way to not only discover more about Iowa’s cinematic past, but it’s also a reason to put on your classic Hollywood gown and walk the red carpet. Produced by Main Street Keokuk, Inc., proceeds from this event go toward downtown Keokuk revitalization.

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Des Moines 48 Hour Film Project

The Des Moines 48 Hour Film Project's mission is to advance filmmaking and promote filmmakers. Through its festival/competition, the Project encourages filmmakers and aspiring filmmakers to make movies. The tight deadline of 48 hours puts the focus squarely on the filmmakers—emphasizing creativity and teamwork skills. While the time limit places an unusual restriction on the filmmakers, it’s also liberating by putting an emphasis on "doing" instead of "talking." The Des Moines 48 Hour Film Project premieres the best of these short films at the Fleur Cinema & Café, an independent movie theater located just south of downtown Des Moines.

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Halloweenapalooza

Halloweenapalooza is Iowa’s only horror film showcase created by horror filmmakers for horror fans. The annual film festival takes place each October in Ottumwa and features vendors, celebrity appearances, costume contests, live music, Zombie Walk and much more. Halloweenapalooza is appropriately held at the historic and haunted Hotel Ottumwa to further enhance your horror film experience.

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Interrobang Film Festival

The Interrobang Film Festival’s vision is to celebrate creativity, while promoting a wide array of film types. Representing motion pictures as part of the nationally-renowned Des Moines Arts Festival since 2007, the Interrobang Film Festival is part juried competition, public screening and workshop. The audience – whether cinema enthusiast or curious newcomer– is able to experience curated screenings of films from Iowa and around the globe.

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Iowa City International Documentary Film Festival

The Iowa City International Documentary Film Festival (ICDOCS) is an annual event run by students at the University of Iowa. Their mission is to engage local audiences with the exhibition of recent short films that explore the boundaries of nonfiction filmmaking. They seek innovative new works of 30 minutes or less that both complicate and expand upon conventional approaches to nonfiction and documentary.

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Iowa Independent Film Festival

Founded by Hollywood filmmaker Henry Jaglom and actress Tanna Frederick in 2007, the Iowa Independent Film Festival brings independent films, unique documentaries and student productions as well as prominent actors, directors and producers from Los Angeles and New York to North Iowa. The festival is hosted in the beautiful Historic Park Inn on the town square in Mason City which is the last remaining Frank Lloyd Wright-designed and built hotel in the world. It’s where Hollywood and small-town Iowa meet to celebrate filmmaking.

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Jean Seberg Festival of the Arts

The Jean Seberg Festival of the Arts (formerly the Jean Seberg International Film Festival) is an annual tribute to the actor, activist and Marshalltown native. The festival features film screenings, an exhibit of memorabilia and photography, and informational lectures and sessions. It is hosted by the Iowa Valley Community College District Orpheum Theater, a historic movie theater located in downtown Marshalltown.

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Julien Dubuque International Film Festival

The Julien Dubuque International Film Festival brings filmmakers and storytellers together for its annual program of documentaries, features and shorts. The festival is headquartered in the beautiful and historic Hotel Julien with films being shown in different venues throughout downtown Dubuque. In addition to educational panel discussions, special evening events and musical performances, the festival’s highlight is the Silent Film Showcase at the Five Flags Theater which is musically supported live by the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra. The fesitval was voted one of the Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World by MovieMaker Magazine.

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Muscatine Independent Film Festival

The Muscatine Independent Film Festival is a showcase for local and regional short filmmakers and is designed to encourage and acknowledge their creative efforts. It is hoped that providing an awards venue for regional artists will inspire creativity and innovative artistic media. This event is also an effort to provide Midwest residents and visiting artists with an engaging evening of entertainment. MIFF accepts entries from across the globe in various award categories including our infamous M&M Award (Murder & Mayhem).

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Oneota Film Festival

Through film, discussion, and other media, the mission of the Oneota Film Festival is to engage a large and diverse audience in the critical issues of our time. Most films shown in this admission-free event are documentaries. Submitted films are accepted from students and independent filmmakers. The Oneota Film Festival was created in 2008 and is produced by a dedicated group in Decorah, including representatives of host Luther College and local film enthusiasts, who have formed a non-profit corporation.

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Prairie Grass Film Challenge

The Prairie Grass Film Challenge is a 48-hour event designed to give people of all ages in the Midwest region an opportunity to compete for some fabulous prizes and have the time of their lives doing it. Growing every year, teams from around the country and Canada now join regional teams in competing for the “coveted Dordty” award and the bragging rights that go with it. Produced by Prairie Grass Productions and held on the campus of Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, this top-shelf event is great way to shake the mid-winter cold and exercise sleep-optional creativity in a mere two days.

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Sioux City International Film Festival

The Sioux City International Film Festival (formerly the Siouxland Film Festival) promotes the art of film, encourages and supports young filmmakers, and brings interesting films to the area in the magnificent Orpheum Theatre in downtown Sioux City. The festival features local, national and international short films. The audience selects the winners at each of the screenings with the top vote receiving the prestigious "Siouxsie" trophy. Cash prizes are also awarded. The Sioux City International Film Festival continues to grow in size and reputation with its world premieres and has even attracted filmmakers as far away as Paris, France who recently declared it “the world’s best film festival”.

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Snake Alley Festival of Film

The Snake Alley Festival of Film is dedicated to showcasing the best short films from around the world. Films are screened at the beautifully restored Capitol Theater in the heart of downtown Burlington, Iowa. The theater boasts state of the art equipment and can comfortably seat more than 400 people.